Non Geocaching Related - UP 3985 Steam Locomotive in ARK

[motexoutlaw]

The UP 3985, the worlds largest operating Steam Locomotive arrived in North Little Rock about 4:00 PM today, it will be on display there all day Friday-Saturday, June 18-19, before leaving Sunday to steam toward Van Buren on Sunday. See schedule below:

I saw it in Houston on Sunday, June 15, before it started back to its home base in Cheyenne, WY. My brother-in-law watched it speed thru Benton, AR about 3:30 PM today.

I was looking on Arkansas Geocacher mooremonkeys web page http://homepage.mac.com/mooremonkeys/feb_7_04_steam_train/index.htm where he posted a beautiful picture of it when it went thru Van Buren on Feb. 7 on its way back to Wyoming from display at the Super Bowl in Houston.


Below is the Union Pacific Infomation webpage about Challenger UP 3985:
http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/excurs/up3985.shtml

The train is equipped with a GPS locator and by going to the web site below you can track its current location along its route by clicking on the blue "Follow the Challenger" link on that website.

http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/excurs/houston.shtml

Tuesday, June 15
Depart: 8:00 a.m. Houston

Arrive: 8:50 a.m. Conroe
Depart: 9:00 a.m.

Arrive: 10:00 a.m. Trinity - Service Locomotive
Depart: 10:20 a.m.

Arrive: 1:00 p.m. Palestine
UP Railyard

Wednesday, June 16
Depart: 8:00 a.m. Palestine

Arrive: 11:30 a.m. Longview

Thursday, June 17
Depart: 8:00 a.m. Longview

Arrive: 10:00 a.m. Texarkana, AR - Service Locomotive
Old UP depot
Depart: 11:00 a.m.

Arrive: 1:00 p.m. Gurdon, AR - Service Locomotive
UP depot
Depart: 1:30 p.m.

Arrive: 4:00 p.m. North Little Rock
1000 W. 4th St. - behind office building

Friday, June 18 - Saturday, June 19
Layover - Public Display
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 20
Depart: 8:00 a.m. North Little Rock

Arrive: 10:30 a.m. Russellville - Service Locomotive
Old UP depot - Main St.
Depart: 11:00 a.m.

Arrive: 3:00 p.m. Van Buren
2nd & Vine Sts.

Monday, June 21
Depart: 8:00 a.m. Van Buren

[Rusty_da_dog]

My wife and I saw the Challenger a couple of weeks ago in Conway, it didn't stop. We are planning on going to Van Buren and seeing it, its a cool train, and its also a locationless cache that I plan on logging while its in Van Buren.

[arkansas_stickerdude]

I plan on taking the kids to see this very large Train thanks for the information I thought I had missed it the first time it can thru.

I missed the train last year when it came through Russellville. I was working that day and went down to the depot when it was supposed to be there, but they were running behind schedule for some reason and I had to get back to work. I am off Sunday so I will have to make sure I get downtown to see it this time after my weekly hike on Mt. Nebo. Thanks for posting this thread letting us know it will be in the area. I am also planning a trip to VanBuren to ride the train this fall. My wife and kids have never been on one before and I have only been on one.

[idratherbehiking]

OOPS! I didn't realize that I wasn't logged when I posted my note about the train. I didn't think you could access the forums without being logged in.

[Gaddiel]

DOH! We missed the Challenger while it was in Little Rock. It rolled through Conway early Sunday morning and I heard there was a large crowd there to see it.

[idratherbehiking]

I was up before sunrise and went on a hike around the Rim Trail at Mt.Nebo. I drove back to town, had breakfast, and showered just in time to go see the train. There were people everywhere when I arrived. The train was every bit as big as I thought it would be but what surprised me was how quiet it was. Next time it comes through I will take some pictures from a bridge outside of town.

[DaisyButton]

We took our boys and the "big boy"--Long Dogs to see this huge train when it was stopped in NLR. Got some great photos and TShirts for the guys. Our other favorite old locomotive is 819 kept in Pine Bluff. She's a 484 Northern and we saw her up close and personal at Fordyce on the Cotton Belt years ago and even saw her go thru Kingsland AR on her way back to Pine Bluff in action! Course that was BB--before boys! LOL LongDogs is a closet model railroader with special interest in the Cotton Belt and Southern Pacific lines.

[GEO]

Hi Daisy Button,I know you.....kinda.
The buttons were and have been a hit,I will have to get some more.
I like these old trains as well not an great historian of all the facts of them but like to see all the different kinds that have been used over the years.

[DaisyButton]

Hi Geo! I 'remember" you too! :D I'm glad you enjoy your geocaching buttons! I love doing custom buttons. They are lots of fun! We leave them all over the place as our signature item with Team LongDogs found your cache and Max's picture on them... We do love our dachsies! LOL